Giardiniera by the numbers

Giardiniera by the numbers

If you’ve ever had an Italian beef sandwich in the Chicago area, chances are you had Giardiniera on it. Giardiniera is a mixture of garden veggies, diced small, pickled in salt and then packed in an oil / vinegar mixture. It might be a “Chicago thing” but anyone who wants a little spicy crunch on a sandwich (or hotdog or grilled sausage) or salad, this recipe is for you. I also like this on pizza and scrambled eggs.

A couple things, because of the oil, it’s not recommended to can either in a hot water bath or pressure canner. Truth is, it gets better with a few weeks aging and it never lasts long enough to go bad, but it does need to be stored in the refrigerator. Also, don’t use olive oil because it becomes semi-solid under refrigeration, the canola oil keeps a nice consistency even when chilled.

Add the oil vinegar mix, cap and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks. Mine won’t last that long.

Until next time, Eat Well & Keep Digging!

UPDATE

2015.2.5 – More than 4 years after making this, I am in the process of making 4 qts at a time on a regular basis. Besides being great on sandwiches, we often use it as both extra vegetables and dressing on greens. It makes making a salad a snap!